Like the title says... can you think of any reason(s) why I should NOT purchase a brand new 2010 Legacy GT?

I used to own a 450chp '05 LGT wagon for almost 4 yrs and a 2004 FXT for 25k miles, so I am very familiar with the 2.5L turbo engine, but not the new turbo. Now driving an '06 Infiniti M45S...

Please feel free to share your pros and cons of getting back to owning an LGT.

Sydtron

05-16-2010 02:47 PM

Looks are a bit divisive, but the car grows on you. It's still relatively lightweight, weighing in under 3500 lbs so for all the size of the car it certainly shrinks around you when you drive.

My only real con is that the suspension has a lot of slop. It works on the road but on the track it's going to shred the front tires with all the body roll.

Can't really think of any cons against it -- it's finally the grown up WRX that it was always meant to be. The lack of a wagon would be a con, but like the manual transmission it's not really something we're going to find in North America. Wishbone rear does wonders and the engine has the power the car was always meant to have. The turbo I assume is the same as the WRX, just located in a better position. Car has an enormous amount of low end grunt now, almost comparable to direct injection engines.

It's a great car that is comfortable commuting but won't bore you on the weekends.

goormove

05-16-2010 02:48 PM

Check on the "shimmy" threads
poor interior build quality - especially coming from an Infinity
relatively soft, uninspiring styling, average fuel efficiency
Horrible shifter feel (manual)
And you get to deal with Subaru for the life of ownership...

If I could do it over again - and I may be able to - I would NOT by this car... and I actually like it a bit.

goormove

05-16-2010 02:53 PM

On the pros side - the size is nice, and the new interior is laid out well
Finally bluetooth, 3/4 decent stereo
Great turbo and with software, lots of fun (so I've heard)
great brakes, good steering
Not bad looking, drives smaller than it is
Much quieter than the previous model...
But... I'd still not buy one again knowing what I know now.

Happy hunting - and good luck.

Kenpachi

05-16-2010 04:03 PM

I have to disagree about the interior and transmission.

The interior is comparable for this class and price range. The Legacy is no Infiniti M or Mercedes E, so the interiors will not be equivalent.

The 6mt is worlds better than the 5mt from my 2006 LGT. The 2006 5mt was rubbery, noisy (whine), imprecise and hated reverse. The 6mt shifts are precise, slop free and completely without drama.

There are a few owners complaining about wheel shimmy. No shimmy issues here.

The ride is far quieter than the 4G. Power is up stock vs. stock, and the handling is about equivalent. It is a larger car, so it gives up some agility. If you're looking to autox, you'll want to upgrade (no different than 4G). That said, I can't see anyone wanting to autox a car this size.

Where Subaru failed to improve:
- still no HIDs without aftermarket
- no direct injection
- no tap-turn
- styling could be better
- wish it was a half-size smaller (more akin to the 2004-2009 Mazda6)
- rear LSD gone
- engine should have been and easily could have been tuned to 300+

I would buy one again in a heartbeat. I have no regrets in giving up the 4G - and I really liked my 4G.

Compared to what? With 4400 miles on it my overall average according to the trip computer is 26.4 mpg. On straight highway trips I've netted over 30 mpg according to the computer (this was purposely taking it a bit easy though). Most mornings though my ride up the highway on ramp is still a full throttle blast from 3rd gear because the turbo is still a new thing to me, so the car isn't driven lightly on a day to day basis.

tytek

05-16-2010 05:04 PM

When I was shopping for my '05 LGT, I test drove a few various Legacy sedans and wagons and a few of them did have the shimmy issue. I consciously chose to purchase one that did not have any vibration back in Jan of 2005.

I actually think that the fuel economy is really good for the '10 LGT considering its size, AWD and performance. And in comparison to my current V8 (a hair under 20mpg avg, 90% highway, easy driving) it will be a very nice improvement. Hoping for around 28mpg when staying off boost.

I would be planning on installing aftermarket HIDs (maybe lenses too). Tap turn is a great feature that can be easily installed, and I really liked it in my '05.

The styling is actually one of the reasons why I am considering the car. I like it a lot and feel that it is rather muscular with the bulging fenders. The 18" wheels look really nice too. And I need the room in the back seat and trunk for work, so the size will be perfect. The M45 weighs a little over 4000 lbs... I am actually excited to get into a car that is around 3500 lbs. And the 6 spd manual is going to be a welcome change!

How does the car feel without the rear LSD? Is it relying on the ESP/TC to control wheel spin? How does it perform in the wet/snow/ice under acceleration? Is it still pretty easy to rotate it with the throttle? I used to love that in the '05 LGT.

IcEWoLF

05-16-2010 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tytek
(Post 2951466)

Like the title says... can you think of any reason(s) why I should NOT purchase a brand new 2010 Legacy GT?

I used to own a 450chp '05 LGT wagon for almost 4 yrs and a 2004 FXT for 25k miles, so I am very familiar with the 2.5L turbo engine, but not the new turbo. Now driving an '06 Infiniti M45S...

Please feel free to share your pros and cons of getting back to owning an LGT.

2011 GT will be out in 2 months is one reason.
Possibly more powerful, folding mirrors, many features standard and around 400-500$ more for the 2011 models.
The 2011 GT's might even break the 300 HP possibly and the interior build quality should improve too..
Carbon fiber trim is going to be a big +.
Worth the wait if you ask me.

tytek

05-16-2010 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IcEWoLF
(Post 2951630)

2011 GT will be out in 2 months is one reason.
Possibly more powerful, folding mirrors, many features standard and around 400-500$ more for the 2011 models.
Worth the wait.

Even if I can get around $5500 off MSRP of 2010? :confused:

IcEWoLF

05-16-2010 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tytek
(Post 2951633)

Even if I can get around $5500 off MSRP of 2010? :confused:

Comes down to personal choice.

5500$ MSRP sounds really good... If I had that good of a deal I wouldn't be driving a 2.5i :).
If you didn't get a good deal then by all means go for the 2010 model.
Someone in these forums was posting that he was getting a great deal for pre-ordering a 2011 LGT.http://legacygt.com/forums/showthrea...ei-137233.html

tytek

05-16-2010 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IcEWoLF
(Post 2951638)

Comes down to personal choice.

5500$ MSRP sounds really good... If I had that good of a deal I wouldn't be driving a 2.5i :).
If you didn't get a good deal then by all means go for the 2010 model.
Someone in these forums was posting that he was getting a great deal for pre-ordering a 2011 LGT.http://legacygt.com/forums/showthrea...ei-137233.html

Yes, personal choice is the difficulty here... ;)

I am also trying to decide between Limited and Limited with Roof and Nav. a difference of around $1500 is what it will come down to. I think a fully loaded car will keep me happy and interested for a longer period of time.

heightsgtltd

05-16-2010 05:44 PM

you do realize that the carbon fiber trim is faux right? Kind of like the aluminum trim in the BL models..

Kenpachi

05-16-2010 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tytek
(Post 2951613)

How does the car feel without the rear LSD? Is it relying on the ESP/TC to control wheel spin? How does it perform in the wet/snow/ice under acceleration? Is it still pretty easy to rotate it with the throttle? I used to love that in the '05 LGT.

At stock power levels, I haven't noticed a difference in wet or dry. However, I bought it as winter was ending, so mine hasn't seen much snow. I'm guessing the tail-happy nature will persist, as I assume it is primarily due to the 50/50 center diff and front weight bias.

It will be interesting to see how much power can be added before the missing LSD becomes obvious.

IcEWoLF

05-16-2010 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tytek
(Post 2951651)

Yes, personal choice is the difficulty here... ;)

I am also trying to decide between Limited and Limited with Roof and Nav. a difference of around $1500 is what it will come down to. I think a fully loaded car will keep me happy and interested for a longer period of time.

Agree!
Go with the fully loaded car...except the nav...you will not even notice it when you don't have it.